I did watch this last night, but as I said, I'm going with the delay in writing these reaction posts now. Here be the result. :)

Expectations are a bitch. It's really as simple as that. Even without the episode preview that featured the close moment between Damon and Elena, and the still of Elena seemingly rescuing Damon -- which with lighting and low video quality looked like they could be from two different scenes, I still had an expectation that the gang, or at least Stefan, Elena and Alaric, would rescue Damon. I hoped that it would be a reverse of the Stefan rescue in "Let the Right One In," which led me to expect much more than what we got. I had this expectation that the rescue would occupy enough of the episode because whenever anyone else in the gang is kidnapped and/or tortured (Stefan, Caroline, Elena) and others are aware of it, there is a high level of urgency and much discussion and airtime devoted to rescuing said person who's been kidnapped.

But, yeah, expectations are a bitch, especially when they don't really track with the reality of the show. Damon always gets himself in and out of jams. People rarely ever have to go and rescue him. The attack from Lee in "Bloodlines," the fire he was trapped in during "Founder's Day," and the werewolf bite setting in during "As I Lay Dying," are the only times, and the first was before anyone but Stefan cared about him, the second a quick-rescue and then Damon was pretty much fine right away. Then the last one only had Elena seeing him in a weakened state, and that's all it was ... a weakened state. He didn't appear in pain or physically messed up and bloody. He was weak in the square, and then really sweaty on top of that in the bed. Which goes to that as much as Damon gets hurt, beaten upon, etc., the others don't see him that way, and he certainly never would let them think upon and/or linger on him in such a way because that would be a weakness he isn't comfortable letting anyone see.

Plus, Caroline and Bonnie don't like him. Alaric, hopefully still under the effects of the ring, doesn't appear to like Damon all that much either. Stefan is once more consumed by Kill!Klaus! and so nothing else matters. It's only when that plan falls through and Damon is still in danger that Stefan moved to rescue Damon. And Elena? Well, we've seen in the past three and half episodes that Damon has rebuilt the walls around his heart, and is trying to keep Elena at bay by pushing her away as much as possible. And it's working. I believe that Elena has begun resurrecting her own walls. The Damon who was there for her so completely, the Damon that she'd been falling so hard for disappeared when a more normal Stefan came back into the picture, and so to save her own heart from hurt, she's now done the same thing that Damon has. She's put her emotions and feelings for him behind a wall so that he can't hurt her. A telling moment was during the scenarios session. Damon walked over to her and put his hands on her arms, pulling her over to play Klaus, and she reacted immediately, rolling her eyes and then began to pull away from him to the point where Damon noticed and made a quick conciliatory gesture.

Whereas these two have had very comfortable physical interaction in the past, that's all gone now. She does NOT want to get close to him, emotionally or physically, because she doesn't want to get hurt again -- as she was after he slept with Rebekah. Fair or not, she felt betrayed, and the hurt was all over her in All My Children, and so just as he'd been pulling away, she has to now. He wants to push her away, okay, he's succeeding. And then again we go back to my first point that Damon ALWAYS gets out of scrapes, and since we didn't see a reaction to Damon all bloody and messed up from anyone, I think it's a safe assumption that Stefan had blood bags for him in the car, and that Damon had at least buttoned his shirt, covering up the blood that would have stained his chest and abdomen when he entered the house. Therefore, Elena wasn't even pushed for a reaction because she didn't see him in that state almost assuredly.

And, truthfully, we did get reactions. Elena did want to put the Kill!Klaus! plan on hold to rescue Damon, and was thrown from it because of Stefan's refusal to help. Did it suck from a Damon/Elena fangirl point of view who wanted to see her rush off to try and formulate her own plan? Of course it did, still, repeating myself, but it *is* true: Damon ALWAYS gets out of scrapes, and no one ever sees the results of any torture that is inflicted upon him by others. Beyond Lee trying to kill Damon in "Bloodlines" and Bonnie setting him afire in "Brave New World," Elena's never actually seen him in true physical pain that was being intentionally inflicted upon him (ie, not the effects of the werewolf bite). And Damon roused from those torturous events fairly quickly with a snarky comeback and nonchalant attitude. So, it makes sense that when she's resurrected walls to keep her distance, and when they are in the middle of a plan that should ostensibly take care of the Originals, thus rescuing Damon in one fell swoop, they stick to that plan.

And Bonnie was clearly horrified by the sight of Damon, but what she could do? She was already in an incredibly emotional fragile state (forced to do Klaus' bidding to save Jeremy and Abby) stacked atop an already incredibly emotional fragile state (Abby abandoning her again) and *that* was stacked upon an already emotional state (Abby killed and turned). Plus, would Klaus and/or Rebekah really have let her rescue Damon right in front of them? Of course not. It was a game, and Klaus would have just as likely killed her had she not walked away. But the first thing she did when free and clear was to call Elena and let her know about Damon. She didn't call specifically about the unlinking spell because she didn't know that was going on. She called to tell Elena that Klaus had Damon. And then she broke down. Oh, Bonnie.

Also, once Stefan knew the Originals had been unlinked and that the others were still around, there was a definite urgency from him to rescue Damon. Urgency that Elena didn't even recognize for what it was because she's so recently seen Stefan at his worst and thought he was heading there again. Looking at it from Elena's point of view, she'd already lost *her* Damon, and she was finally getting *her* Stefan back ... she didn't want to lose that side of both of them. And, yet again, Damon ALWAYS gets out of scrapes. Of course, he'd be fine. It wasn't as if Bonnie told Elena or anyone else just how she had seen Damon. And none of them knew the depths to which Rebekah would go to punish Damon. Whatever it was, it was Damon, he could take it. He always does.

Now with all of this said, there was a section that no amount of rationalization could make work for me. That would be the part after Sage and Troy died. Prior to their arrival, Stefan had urgently been heading out to save Damon. Sage and Rory show up, they fight, then they die. We come back and all sense of urgency to save Damon was gone, wiped clean from the room. Instead, they are all literally standing/sitting around trying to work out a mystery ... WHILE DAMON IS STILL BEING HELD BY REBEKAH AND KLAUS! The solving of the mystery should have waited until afterwards. Heck, even taking into account the timing of a television show and how points and reveals are relayed, at least have Stefan tell the others to figure it out while he went after Damon. Then give us a pacing Elena, or some sign of worry about Damon, with the trying to figure out the mystery being done mostly as a distraction.

Those scenes just left me feeling a huge WTF!? when all other less urgent moments about Damon's kidnapping I could justify. Not that one. And all other rationalization aside, the reason this episode did still hurt from a fangirl-point of view is because my heart was breaking for Damon throughout. He was going through so much physical and emotional torture and the reaction from everyone else -- understandable enough when taking everything into account -- made it feel like his kidnapping was an afterthought once they took care of the important stuff. As if Damon's suffering wasn't important. {Sobs}

Partly why it was so painful is that it's what Damon would have expected, and it completely confirmed his perception in "1912," when he told Stefan that he was all that Damon had. So pain aside, I am looking at the events that happened here as part of the bigger story. Based on the preview for the next episode, Damon seems shocked to the core that Elena COULD have feelings for him and that reaction wouldn't make sense had we seen her with him, reacting to the torture, rushing into the fray heedlessly to save him. Even though, he so clearly wants to believe that such a thing is possible, as the show, yet again, let us see what was in Damon's heart. He wanted Elena to come and rescue him; he wanted Elena to offer a part of herself with no hesitation to save him. He wanted Elena to care. Which, of course, we already knew. But just in case anyone had any doubt that his feelings, his love for her, had lessened due to the events of "Dangerous Liaisons" ... nope. (If I'm going to have a non-lovey-dovey Damon/Elena gif, I'm going with a couple of lovey-dovey ones as well, even if it's hallucinated.)

Sigh. Now, we just need to get this from Elena. And I do believe it is coming. While I had a slight issue with the Stefan and Elena scene at the end in that I saw nothing in this episode or anything previously (other than the brief moment at the end of "The Reckoning") that would explain Stefan suddenly seeing that Elena is in love with Damon, I absolutely loved Elena's response. Because that is exactly what I would expect her to say. Elena has her own expectation of what love is. She thought she loved Matt, but it was just puppy love, based on their many years as friends. She loves Stefan, but she believed it was the all-encompassing, forever and always, kind of love. Yet, in "The Last Day," she told Stefan that she didn't even know what love was. That line was so very telling to me. Yes, she backtracked immediately, but she said it. When she thought she would die, when she was being as honest as she'd ever been with Stefan, she told him -- the boy she claimed she would love always -- that she wasn't even sure that she knew what love was. And then we get to Damon. What she feels for him, how she feels it for him, and all of the bad and ugly mixed in with the good and sweet doesn't fit her definition of love as she's known it. So then what does she feel for him? She has no idea because it isn't what she felt for Matt, and it's not what she feels for Stefan, and she was so sure it was love with Matt ... until she wasn't and then she met Stefan. And she was so sure it was forever love with Stefan ... until these months with Damon and what's been happening under the surface all along building between them. So she does not know. She really, really doesn't know.

However, I go back to wishing we had one moment, one something -- stronger than the conversation outside with Stefan -- that led to Stefan realizing Elena is in love with Damon. I loved that Stefan took that step outside of denial-ville to see that, but I just wish we'd SEEN what moment clicked for him. And I don't know who to blame for that lack ... the writing? the direction? the acting? Could there have been a moment, a look, a hitching of breath, a line in that earlier scene or even in the scene when Stefan was rushing off to save Damon that would have given me that click moment from Stefan? Yes, there could and should have been. But I'll take what the scene gave us at least because the entire conversation played completely true to where I believe both Stefan and Elena are right now.

Elena's "I never stopped loving you," I didn't read in the slightest as Elena essentially saying 'I'll get back together with you, boo. Just say the word.' Stefan was acting the closest to how he did when he returned in "The New Deal" through "The Ties That Bind," and that was a very, very scary, unpredictable Stefan who is a hop and a skip away from Ripper!Stefan. Elena does not want to see the return of that Stefan, and so she was concerned about that, more than the situation with Damon, yes, because (I know, dead horse, but ...) Damon always gets out of scrapes. Physically, he'll heal, but if Stefan steps over that ledge again, will he come back this time? Her "I never stopped loving you," I read, as her attempt to get him to realize that he didn't lose everything.

She was telling him that he hadn't lost her, that she did still love him. Which, she does. Of course she does. I've never doubted that Elena still loved him, but note how Elena said "love," and Stefan said "also in love with," implying that HE believes she's still in love with him (which I don't believe). And his earlier statement essentially saying that it's because of his absence and how he pushed her away that she fell for Damon gave us the in-denial side of Stefan we all know and not necessarily love. It's just that for the first time it was tempered with that huge step he took in admitting that Elena was in love with Damon. I absolutely believe that had Stefan not brought up Damon, and had instead talked about them getting back together, Elena -- despite her declaration that she never stopped loving him -- would have hemmed and hawed, talked about how he has stuff he needs to work through, that she's his friend, and she'll stand by him, but that rushing into things was not the best idea ... etc., so on and so forth.

Elena said what she did because she thought it was what he needed to hear to keep him from tipping over the edge again. And notice, that even as she said it, she wasn't impassioned, and she made no physical move to match her words. There was no reaching out to touch his face, even his hand or arm as Elena is wont to do. She was merely offering it as a statement of fact, but she did so without an ounce of passion. There was no love with a capital L in her voice. They were just words -- words of fact -- but just words designed to keep him on an even keel, her relaying her feelings at a base point that would get the job done. She is *not* in love with him anymore, even if she does still love him. And interestingly enough, Stefan showed little reaction, passionate or otherwise, to those words himself. His response was relayed in almost the same manner as hers, but with just a tad more emotion. Yes, you love me, as I love you, but ... you're in love with my brother. That was the focal point of his bringing the subject up.

Stefan wasn't bringing up their love because he thinks they should get back together, he was using it as a jumping point to bring up how she's in love with Damon. And Elena didn't respond with her statement of love because she thinks they should get back together, but rather as a salve to keep Stefan from going back into Ripper!land. And once Stefan brought Damon into the discussion, per usual as of late, Elena lost train of any other thought and focused on that. Were she still in love with Stefan, and not in love with Damon, she would have continued to push Stefan about them and their love. Now, instead, she was caught completely on what is going on between her and Damon. It wasn't Stefan and Elena's love, and certainly not their relationship, that was the focus of that conversation. It was Damon and Elena's love.

Which we'll see some more exploration in the next episode (woohoo! lovely preview of an episode that's waaaaaaaaaaaay too far away) while they tap into Jeremy's ghostly communication skills to get some more information on the bloodlines. Ooh, those bloodlines, very interesting. I love this twist, and it's one I've played with to a degree in my mind, but I honestly never thought they'd go there. I love that they did. One Original is going to have to survive if we want all of our vampires (minus Tyler possibly, eh) to live. I'd say Klaus since Joseph Morgan is a regular cast member, and that saves Tyler too (eh). In addition, it keeps the whole doppelganger thing running. And as much as I do like Elijah, it would rather kill some suspense if he was the only Original around what with his whole Zen morality that only occasionally takes dips into the nasty side.

Honestly, I think that Rebekah would be the funniest and most unpredictable one simply because, man, just imagine it? If they want to live they need to keep this petulant, spoiled brat with a propensity for threats and torture around who would have no reason to not kill Elena if Klaus is gone. Whoo, boy! Alas, despite the fun of Rebekah as their generations-old vampire mommy, I do think that whichever direction they go, she is pretty much aTruly!Dead!Original!walking. I think it's probably going to be Klaus, though. If for no other reason than his not wanting Elena to turn (or be with a vampire period because he wants her to procreate... and ew!) would add a series-long, icky obstacle to the Elena/Damon (or fine, Elena/Stefan) relationship.

Plus, I don't think they'd let go of the doppelganger angle when there still is much left unexplored there. Also, if Klaus isn't the daddy, Damon will have no problem staking his ass even if it kills Tyler as long as Elena remains safe from Klaus' clutches, so, yeah, I don't see how it's not going to be Klaus. Unless they plan on killing Tyler? Y/y? Hmm.... Elijah could still stick around since he wouldn't cause them any obvious problems or want to kill Elena, and could potentially help keep Klaus in check. But, yeah, I'm betting on it being Klaus. But, man, oh man, how is Klaus redeemed in any way to keep the Klaus/Caroline potential relationship open? I'm just not seeing it now at all. Other than turning Caroline to the dark side -- which would be mondo-cool, and would tie into her admitting to Alaric that she liked killing Carter -- I can't see my sunshine, B+ girl with Klaus. No way, no how, no matter how sweet and puppy-eyed at her he is. Klaus is an evil, unmitigated bad guy. Although, I did like how they brought up the friendship angle from Klaus' point-of-view again between him and Stefan, where Klaus basically told Stefan he was allowing Stefan to hate him so that he didn't have to hate himself. And, of course, Klaus being the clueless one that he is, doesn't get that being an irredeemable, evil asshole is not a way to win and keep friends. But, what can you expect? He is a sociopath. Period. Sure he feels all warm fuzzies for his little buddy, and puppy love for the pretty girl, but it doesn't take that evil away.

And Rebekah is right alongside him. I love her. I do; I love her evil and her crazy, and her petulant, spoiled brattiness, and her vulnerability and desire to just be loved. Claire Holt is wonderful. Truly. Ah, that moment where she revealed that she did believe that Damon had true feelings for her (oh, Rebekah) broke my heart because it was so swiftly, so beautifully played, but ... Rebekah *is* an evil, crazy, petulant, spoiled, bratty, vindictive, little bitch. She really, really is. No one, NO ONE, can ever be safe with her. And that means, my love for Stefan/Rebekah must be stricken away! Which leaves ... dun, dun, dun! STEFAN AND CAROLINE!!! (It always comes back to them, doesn't it?) And, ooh, ooh, they shared a two-line conversation in this episode and she acknowledged him with her preference for well-adjusted Stefan. Not that he ever really was, dear, but still ... I'll take what I can get. :)

Speaking of Caroline, I enjoyed her (first, I'm pretty sure) one on one scene with Alaric. Mostly from her end, as he's still on my shitlist. I love her honesty with the vampire situation. She may be closer to Stefan, but she's definitely more accepting of her situation as a vampire like Damon than Stefan is. Alas, as much as I enjoyed Caroline, and Candice Accola's lovely performance, I'm getting quite tired of Ric not caring about Damon. Damon is kidnapped and tortured and all we get from Ric is, "You're still alive?" Yes, it wouldn't have been bothersome at all when they were friends, but when we're constantly getting obvious signs from Damon's end that he cares, while Ric continues to treat Damon like he barely tolerates him, it's not funny any longer. However, I'm holding out hope that Ric's continued crappy treatment of Damon is a hint to us that Bonnie's herbs aren't 100% doing their job. Because, dude, I can't deal with Ric's continued crappy treatment of my bb Damon much longer.

One other thing regarding Alaric and his vampire-hating alter-ego: I've read a few different people complain about the cliffhanger at the end of the episode, and I don't quite get the issue with it as those comments appeared to miss the main point of why it was cliffhangery. The cliffhanger wasn't that Ric's alter-ego was coming out to play still. The cliffhanger was that Rebekah/Klaus had let Damon and Stefan go on the condition that (from Rebekah's end) she won't kill both brothers, and (from Klaus' end) he won't wage war upon everyone that Stefan loves IF they bring ALL the stakes back. With Ric's vampire-hating alter-ego having hid the stake, they are screwed because Ric doesn't know where it is, and the vampire-hating alter-ego won't give it up. Even if they bring that Ric out and threaten him, he won't give up its location if it means that Damon and Stefan (vampires) will die, and that he has a weapon that could potentially eradicate TONS of other vampires. So by that stake being hidden as it was, the brothers have a ticking death time clock against them from Rebekah, and everyone that Stefan cares about -- which, technically, would honestly be ... uhm, okay, no one as Stefan only cares about Damon and Elena ... and Rebekah will kill Damon, while Klaus will kidnap/keep Elena hostage. So, yeah, Damon and Stefan will die at the cruel, hard hands of Rebekah if they don't retrieve that stake, and Elena will truly become just Klaus' human blood bag. And they have absolutely NO WAY of getting it from alter-ego Ric. Yes, they'll obviously get out of it, but the cliffhanger question is how?

Okay, then, onto randoms --

- I was bummed about Elena not mentioning Damon in her list to Caroline about supernaturals who didn't have a choice, but butterfly gave me a much better point of view about that. The fact that she DIDN'T mention Damon is actually on the plus side because it showed that she REALLY paid attention to him on his deathbed. Damon told her that he blamed Stefan so long for his turning, but he admitted to Elena then that it was his choice. He chose to drink Katherine's blood willingly, he chose to become a vampire to be with her. Just because circumstances played out differently at the end didn't detract from the fact that out of all of the supernatural creatures we know (outside of the dead Isobel), Damon is the only one who made the willing, conscious choice to become a vampire. He wasn't compelled to drink her blood, as Stefan was. He wasn't forced to do so to save his life, as Katherine was. He wasn't turned by someone else against his will, as Caroline was. He wasn't born into it ala Elena and Bonnie, for instance. He chose to become this supernatural creature. And that is why Elena didn't mention him.

- I still say the moonstone in the soap dish was brilliant, but I liked that the writers could still tease themselves about people mocking it. But seriously, Katherine looked EVERYWHERE for that thing. She found the moonstone by pure happenstance. On what planet would Damon suddenly figure that Katherine would go into his bathroom to wash her hands? It was a fabulous hiding spot. I will maintain that till the end!

- The playing out the different scenarios at the top of the show was a lot of fun, but I didn't like Caroline saying Rebekah was desperate in sleeping with Damon because Caroline did the exact same thing, and it just had an uncomfortable undertone. And then it was further worsened when we got a reaction shot of Elena laughing at Damon about it. Still, I did like that Damon now has a nickname for Matt. Busboy. Heh.

- So I'm taking Elena's conversation with Stefan to imply that she has forgiven him for his actions on Wickery Bridge. (Sure something may still come with it, but I'm not pinning any hope to it.) And I've decided to be okay with it because it truly is in character. Elena forgave Bonnie for lying to her and nearly getting Stefan and Damon, thus Stefan nearly again, killed. She forgave Caroline for lying to her and setting her and Stefan up at Katherine's bidding. She forgave Tyler for nearly turning her into werewolf-dinner and bringing Brady to the lakehouse with the very real chance that he would have killed Stefan and nearly killed her. She forgave Elijah for ruining their first grand!kill!Klaus plan, and for kidnapping and siccing his crazy sister on her. She forgave Rose for kidnapping and slapping her around. Then we get to the biggie! She forgave Damon for using Caroline as a sex/chew toy, and for chomping on Bonnie, nearly killing her, and for force-feeding his blood to turn her into a vampire against her will, oh, and the biggest biggie of all ... for SNAPPING HER BROTHER'S NECK. Had Jeremy not been wearing the ring, he would have been killed, most likely turned into a vampire, but still ... DEAD. Elena Gilbert is a forgiver, and she doesn't hold grudges. That's who she is. If she hadn't forgiven Stefan for what he did to her, it would have been out of character. This girl has a threshold for forgiveness that is ridiculous insane, but it's very well-established.

- I mentioned Bonnie above, but I wanted to touch upon her again. When she started to break on the phone, and then just lost it once she hung up -- gah, it was so heartbreaking. I just ... man, Kat Graham cries so prettily and so heartrendingly. Whenever Bonnie loses it, it's just gutwrenching. Oh, Bonnie.

- Jeremy again!!! Yay!! (Even if only in product placement.) And the fact that he's being used as a tool to control Bonnie is giving me renewed hope that my sunshine-and-puppies couple still have a shot! WHEE!!

- Heh, I LOVED the episode title. Yup, it was the murder of one, when it was meant to be them all. Clever.

- So, I was right to be a hopeful romantic about Sage/Finn. Erm, yay? Just so sad. They waited nine hundred years for each other (her more than him what with his whole coffin/staked downtime), and got a few hours before he was killed. And then Sage went bye-bye right afterwards. Ah well, maybe they'll reunite in ghost world! Hopeful romantic optimism for the win!

- Once again, the plan massively fails because Damon is out of the loop. Damon would have thought of all contingencies. Stefan? Not so much. When Elena was unable continuously to not get a hold of Bonnie, he would have been suspicious. Stefan? Not so much. Damon would have taken into account that Stefan probably would have been vervain-free. Stefan? Not so much. Damon would have broken down a few stakes to make smaller ones so that the number remained the same. Stefan? Not so much. Boo, leave the plan-making to your brother.

- Finally on completely shallow notes: Claire Holt looked absolutely GORGEOUS in this episode. I love, love, LOVE her hair like that. Also gorgeous and with fairly good-looking hair? Ian Somerhalder. Even cut up and bleeding, he's still so very, very pretty. *Sigh*

Phew! So, taking the Damon, Damon/Elena fangirl-sensibility out of it, this was a great episode ... but for that one section that inexplicably lacked any sense of urgency. It did hurt a bit as a fangirl, I'll admit, but I'm holding out hope that heading into the homestretch, we'll be rewarded. A few more weeks of reruns and then our final four episodes of the season are coming! And, maybe, just maybe I am buying into those potentially-nasty expectations again, but looking at the season as a whole, it points to some good Damon/Elena ... it really, really does. It is what makes the most narrative sense, and this show does follow it's narrative logic. :)

Expectations really come back to bite you. (Heh, bite you.) That's why I've pretty much tossed mine out the window or lowered them so far that I can't really be hurt anymore. Sure, it makes me a bit of a zombie, but it also makes it easier for me to enjoy stuff. ;P

For example, I didn't even think about most everyone's lack of Rescue Damon feelings because I'm so used to that kind of thing (sick of it but used to it) that I'm pretty desensitized. Damon gets attacked and abused all the time, and, like you said, he always gets out of it. Occasionally, he has help from, like, tertiary characters (Elijah in "Crying Wolf" comes to mind) or Stefan, but, for the most part, Damon just heals and goes about his business like it's just another day at the office. It's one of the things I admire about him, TBH--that he's not a complainer, that he goes through a WHOLE lot of crap that none of the others will EVER hear about. Still, I did appreciate Bonnie's horrified response to his appearance (in fact, I appreciated Bonnie in general for what I think is the first time ever, YAY!).

It's interesting how much information you were able to glean from the conversations between Stefan and Elena, when I could barely even pay attention to what they were saying. It sounded so much like just more of the same stuff to me. I haven't been able to give any real attention to their scenes together after that porch scene at the end of "Dangerous Liasions." It irritated me so fiercely that I've tuned them out ever since. I like reading your thoughts on them, though, considering I can't think about them myself.

I loved the tragic love of Sage and Finn. Choked me up, even though Finn was my least favorite Original sibling. Now, I really don't want any of the Originals to be killed. Unfortunately, I actually prefer them to some of the regular cast. Well, maybe I could do without Elijah and Kol. I just want Klaus and Rebekah around forever.

Yes, it wouldn't have been bothersome at all when they were friends, but when we're constantly getting obvious signs from Damon's end that he cares, while Ric continues to treat Damon like he barely tolerates him, it's not funny any longer. However, I'm holding out hope that Ric's continued crappy treatment of Damon is a hint to us that Bonnie's herbs aren't 100% doing their job. Because, dude, I can't deal with Ric's continued crappy treatment of my bb Damon much longer.

I pretty much let Alaric go this week. I can't take it anymore. That "Oh, you're still alive?" broke me.

I, too, loved Damon calling Matt "Busboy." Matt was all, "Do I have a choice?" That whole scene was pretty cute. I like it when everyone works together.

I didn't even think about most everyone's lack of Rescue Damon feelings because I'm so used to that kind of thing (sick of it but used to it) that I'm pretty desensitized.

It bothered me because I thought (again, expectations) that the whole point of Damon being kidnapped was to get reactions from people.

Damon gets attacked and abused all the time, and, like you said, he always gets out of it. [...] he goes through a WHOLE lot of crap that none of the others will EVER hear about.

And that's kinda why even though it bothered me as a Damon-stan, it did make sense for the other characters. Damon goes through so much that the others only hear about after the fact and in a throw-away way most likely. I think they do know about enough of it, but Damon doesn't act like it's a big deal and he does always get out of stuff, so, it's kinda hard to blame the characters for acting in character.

Still, I did appreciate Bonnie's horrified response to his appearance

She and Stefan were the only ones who actually saw Damon in that state, and I know others didn't see much from Stefan, but the second time I watched it, it was definitely there. I think Paul Wesley may have played it too 'Stefan holding it in so he doesn't burst' because a lot of people seemed to think that Stefan didn't care, but my second watch-through showed that he did care, absolutely and he was trying very hard to not deal with it. And once again, he did give up killing Klaus once and for all ... for Damon.

(in fact, I appreciated Bonnie in general for what I think is the first time ever, YAY!).

That is worthy of a YAY! :D

It's interesting how much information you were able to glean from the conversations between Stefan and Elena, when I could barely even pay attention to what they were saying. It sounded so much like just more of the same stuff to me.

It really, really wasn't. Even their body language and their tone of voice was different. Even anything, it felt like both were speaking in rote, and then the Damon-factor came up and suddenly nothing was the same.

that porch scene at the end of "Dangerous Liasions."

I blame the director, ironically, same director of this episode, for that honestly. He shouldn't have done the close-ups and angles as he did. He filmed it romantically when their words actually weren't. Especially hers. It was about saving him, not saving them. But yeah, the direction sold something else, and considering that Julie Plec has said that scene was misinterpreted (when most interpreted it as romantic), tells me that it was just a bad call in direction/acting in that scene.

I pretty much let Alaric go this week. I can't take it anymore. That "Oh, you're still alive?" broke me.

Yeah, I saw that you had. I'm not sure how they can fix Alaric for me at this point. He's just such an asshole to Damon. I do think it's because the ring is still messing with him, but we'll see ...

LOL Rory. Did you take a page out of my book? Because I'm pretty sure that you're the only person besides myself that I've seen referring to that vampire as ''Rory''. The truth is, his name was Troy. And I truly have no idea where Rory came from.

It's a bit of a stretch, but I think we could consider the early S/E conversation as a click moment for Stefan. He did look slightly taken aback by how adamant Elena was on rescuing Damon. Speaking of which... It wasn't easy but I recovered from the regret that in the end Elena had nothing to do with rescuing Damon. What I still have problems with is her recurring lack of concern with Damon throughout the episode that felt especially off considering how very concerned she had been early in the episode.

Ha! I knew it was going to be a dream sequence! ;) & Since I said that I wouldn't mind even if it was... well, then, I have no right to feel disappointed... In any case, a dream sequence is better than nothing... Not to mention had the scene been real, it would have brought D/E to a totally different level at light-speed & I'm afraid, um, as weird as it sounds, it might have been too early for that. To tell the truth, I am willing to wait until the finale for something spectacular to happen just because it would make S3 finale the 3rd finale that is all about Damon & Elena, and how could we possibly complain about that? ^^ It'd be another proof D/E is the heart of the show & that they stand a chance to be the actual endgame.

The final S/E conversation wasn't thrilling but I appreciate the fact that, for once, a S/E conversation was all about Damon (as opposed to way too many D/E conversations being all about Stefan).

Also, loving someone and being in love with someone are two different things. The scene made it seem (at least to my prejudiced shipper's mind haha) that Elena loves Stefan – just like she loves Caroline, Bonnie, Jeremy, etc. That's Elena for you. She doesn't like. She loves. But that's not the same as being in love with someone & now we have Stefan being another person (after Matt) using the phrase “in love with” in relation to Elena's feelings for Damon. I approve ;D

I like the bloodlines twist too! I think Klaus is the most logical answer but wouldn't it make things too predictable? I think it's entirely possible that it's not Klaus, however, it may turn out they will need to spare Klaus anyway for a different reason. Although as far as Tyler is concerned... for some reason I was convinced he was in for an untimely death ever since he became a hybrid.

Oh dear. I didn't think of that until you mentioned it, but I guess Caroline turning to the dark side is a possibility. What was the actual reason for her admitting that she “liked” killing someone anyway? If her aim was to make Alaric feel better, wouldn't it be enough for her to say that she knows how it feels to lose control, not feel like yourself, etc.? Maybe the writers put that line there for a reason *ominous music* lol

& I'd extend my ominous presentiments to Elena's words about supernaturals who didn't have a choice. As much as I don't want Elena to turn, especially not as early as this season, it just sounded like the kind of line that might come back to the person who uttered it.

I'm with you about Sage/Finn *sobs* Not only did they kill Finn. They killed Sage too! I was kind of shocked how quickly they got rid of her after such heavy promotion of her being on the show.

& I just hope someone will text Elijah to tell him he's no longer linked together with his siblings?... lol

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! They are so wonderful to read! ♥

It's a bit of a stretch, but I think we could consider the early S/E conversation as a click moment for Stefan.

And that's my problem. It's a stretch. We should have had a VERY clear *moment* where it clicked for him because while he's been aware of that something between them, and has been worried, we've never gotten a true indication that he believed that Elena was falling. He seemed to take the kissing Damon thing as a way to get him to respond; the last reference to the two of them was him scoffing at the idea that Elena was jealous of Rebekah. Instead he said it was because of what Rebekah had done to Elena. So for such a HUGE acknowledgement from Stefan, I felt we really did need THAT moment. Ah well.

What I still have problems with is her recurring lack of concern with Damon throughout the episode that felt especially off considering how very concerned she had been early in the episode.

That did work for me when taking into account how she's build these walls around herself about him. It was like first finding out about him being kidnapped she was all worried, and then she realized she was being all worried, and so ... stopped. But, yeah, we should have been shown. I think we're getting that showing in the next few episodes, but it did feel off no matter how much you can rationalize that she has those walls, we needed to see that transition that moment when she allowed herself to worry to when she made herself stop doing so.

Ha! I knew it was going to be a dream sequence!

My problem is that due to the coloring it looked like the Canadian promo was from a different scene than the still. He looked like he was wearing a white shirt in the promo and the black shirt in the still, so I thought the promo was the dream, and that the still was her rescuing him. Alas, it was just the coloring.

Not to mention had the scene been real, it would have brought D/E to a totally different level at light-speed & I'm afraid, um, as weird as it sounds, it might have been too early for that.

Yeah, I think that's why we didn't get the reaction from Elena because it would have been too soon. In that case, they shouldn't have had him kidnapped then. :shrugs: But I do think the kidnapping was necessary for a buttload of reasons. I just wish we'd had some signs from Elena, pacing, her looking outside, something.

I am willing to wait until the finale for something spectacular to happen just because it would make S3 finale the 3rd finale that is all about Damon & Elena, and how could we possibly complain about that?

I do think we'll get something big with D/E in the finale, BUT, I think we're getting some pretty big stuff before then.

The final S/E conversation wasn't thrilling but I appreciate the fact that, for once, a S/E conversation was all about Damon.

I appreciated that it made so clear where Elena is -- not in love with Stefan, in love with Damon but having no clue how to see that, and Stefan half-way from delusion to see the latter, but not the former.

Oh dear. I didn't think of that until you mentioned it, but I guess Caroline turning to the dark side is a possibility. What was the actual reason for her admitting that she “liked” killing someone anyway? If her aim was to make Alaric feel better, wouldn't it be enough for her to say that she knows how it feels to lose control, not feel like yourself, etc.? Maybe the writers put that line there for a reason *ominous music* lol

It didn't strike me until I randomly threw out that possibility that in order to make K/C work, they'd have to make Caroline turn the switch off. And then that line popped in my head.

I'd extend my ominous presentiments to Elena's words about supernaturals who didn't have a choice. As much as I don't want Elena to turn, especially not as early as this season, it just sounded like the kind of line that might come back to the person who uttered it.

I don't know, if they turn Elena in the finale, I will be legit-shocked because I just can't see it happening so soon.

Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! They are so wonderful to read! ♥

Hi.. I've been lurking around for a while now and really enjoying your reviews and insights, but something feels a little off on this one.. I hope I'm able to articulate myself properly since english isn't my first language and I generally suck at commenting..

I really don't get how you've missed the OBVIOUS signs that Stefan is noticing the growing connection between Damon and Elena. I mean, he's explicitly told Elena she's better off without Damon; worse off in fact, than with himself! Stefan's even repeated this same belief to Damon, in 3x15! And sad as it is, I agree Damon does at least to some degree believe this to be true.. (Though I ABSOLUTELY do not think he's right.) Stefan is, in my opinion, jealous and distraught over the connection and honesty he sees in Damon and Elena's relationship. Neither one of them has to pretend in their interactions to be people who they are not. ( I think Stefan's idea of what love is, is basically as childish as Elena's; rooted in some belief that one has to be worth it to deserve it - therefore you can't be yourself, i.e. HUMAN, or no one will accept you.) That might even explain that certain coldness I felt from Stefan towards his brother in this episode. Maybe this is the first time he's ever had to feel what it's like to walk a mile in Damon's shoes, to be considered second best? He has been (at least to me) broadcasting pretty depressed vibes ever since Damon confessed outloud to him he was in love with Elena too.. Maybe in his heart of hearts Stefan knows which pairing is endgame - to me there is no doubt.

On a more random note, I've picked up our shared love of Caroline, so I thought I'd comment on a little moment I felt you missed during that meeting of the gang in the woods - when she observed that little (if semi-hostile) moment between Damon and Elena. She clearly had this amused look on her face, like, who do you think you're fooling. And I really didn't read her 'desperate to have slept with you' comment to Damon as hostile, rather, it felt.. Playful and friendly, like.. OK, she's not the whole way there to forgiving him, but she definately didn't seem bitchy to me either.

Another thing about Caroline I'd love to hear your comments on: her love interests. They seem to follow a pattern as far as I can tell. Men who are emotionally distant and or abusive. First Damon, (clearly both) then Matt (distant) then Tyler - who, is to me kind of like a Damon 0.2, the nicer, more honest version of the Damon Caroline knew in season 1. But still.. Something about her relationship with Tyler rubs me the wrong way. Maybe I'm just being prejudiced 'cos I perceived him as a bully from the get go, and it's hard to let go of first impressions.. Considering what we've seen of the relationship between Caroline and her dad (AND Liz), I think it's not too difficult to guess why Caroline picks these kinds of men. Familiarity equals comfort.

But, uh, I totally agree I would have expected more worry and anxiety from the gang in regard to Damon's kidnapping. It just seemed.. Off. But in my head this is simply a matter of having to stuff and hour and a half of scenes into some fourty minutes.. I prefer to believe that the evil editors simply cut out the scenes my fangirl heart most desired to see.

But yeah, umm, looking forward to new reviews from you after the hiatus! <3

Hi.. I've been lurking around for a while now and really enjoying your reviews and insights, but something feels a little off on this one.. I hope I'm able to articulate myself properly since english isn't my first language and I generally suck at commenting..

Thanks for popping in, and I could completely understand you. :)

I really don't get how you've missed the OBVIOUS signs that Stefan is noticing the growing connection between Damon and Elena.

Oh, I've seen them quite clearly. However, Stefan is the king of denial and nothing we've seen from him even remotely hinted that he was breaking free from denial. We should have had a VERY clear *moment* where it clicked for him because while he's been aware of that something between them, and has been worried, we've never gotten a true indication that he believed that Elena was falling. He seemed to take the kissing Damon thing as a way to get him to respond; the last reference to the two of them was him scoffing at the idea that Elena was jealous of Rebekah. Instead he said it was because of what Rebekah had done to Elena. So for such a HUGE acknowledgement from Stefan, I felt we really did need THAT moment. Had Elena really freaked out, looked on the verge of tears, something more in that scene when she said they had to rescue Damon, I could have bought that as what brought him out of his self-imposed denial. Just because he's been seeing it, doesn't mean he's been acknowleging it ... because he's been doing the opposite of it, so I don't get what made him suddenly break half-way free from his mist of denial to acknowledge it.

That might even explain that certain coldness I felt from Stefan towards his brother in this episode.

I didn't see it at first, but the second time I watched it, Stefan was DEFINITELY worried about Damon. I think Paul Wesley may have played it too 'Stefan holding it in so he doesn't burst' because a lot of people seemed to think that Stefan didn't care, but my second watch-through showed that he did care, absolutely, and he was trying very hard to not deal with it. And once again, he did give up killing Klaus once and for all ... for Damon.

[Caroline] clearly had this amused look on her face, like, who do you think you're fooling. And I really didn't read her 'desperate to have slept with you' comment to Damon as hostile, rather, it felt.. Playful and friendly, like.. OK, she's not the whole way there to forgiving him, but she definately didn't seem bitchy to me either.

I didn't have a problem with Caroline's comment from Caroline's end, at all. My issue was with the casuality of it just thrown out there as if Caroline wasn't in that same position when it's never been discussed. And my BIG issue was the fact that Elena was laughing at Damon.

Oh, yeah, after we met Bill, I commented on it somehwere on my LJ about how seeing how he treats her, it's pretty obvious why she goes for the guys she does. Girl has daddy-issues.

But, uh, I totally agree I would have expected more worry and anxiety from the gang in regard to Damon's kidnapping. It just seemed.. Off. But in my head this is simply a matter of having to stuff and hour and a half of scenes into some fourty minutes.

I can rationalize as much as possible, and I certainly did, but it still was a tad off. I get that they had him kidnapped so that there would be a reason WHY the gang had to give up their weapons that could kill the Originals, but it would have been nice to get some reaction of caring ... from Elena, basically. We got something from Bonnie. Caroline obviously wouldn't care. Alaric is still clearly being controlled by that ring to a degree. Stefan DID care. It was just Elena who really had those walls built up and, I can see it, but we needed something more from her, a line, a look, I dunno. It just felt too uncaring overall.

hard to believe, but it was **Bonnie** (??!!??) who showed the most compassion towards Damon. As you said, her reaction to the torture and calling Elena right away despite where her head was. Truly truly sad how Damon's being treated by everyone.

Having said that, the visual the whole time was marhhhvelous! Not forgetting how hard and long it was to film those scenes, the delivery was perfect.

Id put Rebekah on the plus side. She has me round her fingers by now. I feel for her at a deep level, understand her and cheer her on in her quest towards independence and happiness. Im getting quite attached to her and would/will be very disappointed when the writers have her killed off or mess up her storylines. With the torture as well, she never wanted to go as far as it did and stood up against her brother to let Damon go. Girl, play in our team from now on!

Bonnie's actually been the nicest to/about Damon this season outside of Elena overall. She hasn't said nasty things about him, didn't judge Elena for kissing him, and we never heard that she blamed Damon about what happened to Abby. Plus, she's been working with him off and on with no problem.

hard to believe, but it was **Bonnie** (??!!??) who showed the most compassion towards Damon. As you said, her reaction to the torture and calling Elena right away despite where her head was. Truly truly sad how Damon's being treated by everyone.

Well, I do think that Stefan showed the most actually. And, Bonnie and Stefan were the only ones who actually saw Damon in that horrible state. I know others didn't see much from Stefan, but the second time I watched it, it was definitely there. I think Paul Wesley may have played it too 'Stefan holding it in so he doesn't burst' because a lot of people seemed to think that Stefan didn't care, but my second watch-through showed that he did care, absolutely and he was trying very hard to not deal with it. And once again, he did give up killing Klaus once and for all ... for Damon. Look at his face, his eyes, how he's trying to not react when he first walks in and sees Damon.

And well, Elena, as I said above, she's got her walls built up high about Damon now. She feels rejected and betrayed and pushed away by him since "All My Children," having no idea what is going on with him. Yes, she said a cruel thing to him at the ball, but she tried to retract it right away and she's forgiven him for so many horrible things, to think that he couldn't forgive her for one thoughtless, albeit mean comment, is something that's been really hard for her. She's alone, and she's needed him recently and instead of being there, he just dropped her, walked away and has gone back to being a snarky, I-don't-care ass. My fangirl would like to see more from her, but narratively-speaking, it makes sense why she's pulled away.

Your explanation of Elena's perspective of Damon's torture feels spot-on to me, as does Stefan's reaction. It's so true that everyone expects Damon to get out of his own messes, and thus the lack of sense of urgency. I keep forgetting that a great many facets of Damon's personality are unseen by the other characters. Stefan really is all Damon has, and even at that, it's not completely reciprocated as Stefan is only allowing so much emotion enter into him. On re-watch, I wondered if Stefan's urgency to get to Klaus' mansion didn't have more to do with his desire for revenge? I know wanting to save Damon was certainly part of the impetus, but lesser in his mind/heart than revenge.

It makes sense that Elena's priority was keeping Stefan on this side of the Ripper line, and trying to talk him down before he left the boarding house was in keeping with that, as was seeing him afterwards. I had a similar take on Elena and Stefan in that scene, feeling that her words are no longer connected to the feelings that used to be there (i.e. she loves him, but is no longer in love with him).

That was an awesome game-changer - killing an Original takes out their entire bloodline. I wonder if that only applies to straight vampires, though? At Mikael's wake, Klaus said that if he died, his hybrids would kill Damon. Perhaps because there is werewolf blood present, his hybrids (i.e. Tyler) wouldn't be killed outright, but returned to being a werewolf instead? Just a thought.

Damon really has succeeded in pushing Elena away, and I love that you caught that conciliatory gesture after touching her. Also, your realization that Elena really does not know what she feels for him makes sense. It makes me sad to think of the possibility that that might not get explored. I love that this show has so many plot twists and turns and is anything but predictable. I think to a large extent I've been seeing things in Elena that I want to see, because I'm so besotted with Damon and want Elena to be the one that really gets to know all of him (which would then lead to her falling head over heels, of course). I believe she knows him better than anyone else, but also she doesn't know that things that Damon keeps so well hidden. I want her to see more of that side of him that only she sees, and let it seep into her consciousness.

Anywho, I'm starting to ramble due to tiredness. But before I go, Claire Holt was stunningly beautiful in this episode and Caroline just makes me want to hug her in all her adorableness <3

Your explanation of Elena's perspective of Damon's torture feels spot-on to me, as does Stefan's reaction.

But it still hurts that we didn't get more, LOL!

It's so true that everyone expects Damon to get out of his own messes, and thus the lack of sense of urgency. I keep forgetting that a great many facets of Damon's personality are unseen by the other characters.

It's really true. Bonnie, Caroline, even Alaric haven't ever seen that soft, vulnerable side of Damon. Only Elena and Stefan has, and Elena's shut down because of how he's hurt her on a deeper, emotional level lately. She feels rejected and betrayed and pushed away by him since "All My Children," having no idea what is going on with him. Yes, she said a cruel thing to him at the ball, but she tried to retract it right away and she's forgiven him for so many horrible things, to think that he couldn't forgive her for one thoughtless, albeit mean comment, is something that's been really hard for her. She's alone, and she's needed him recently and instead of being there, he just dropped her, walked away and has gone back to being a snarky, I-don't-care ass. My fangirl would like to see more from her, but narratively-speaking, it makes sense why she's pulled away.

Stefan really is all Damon has, and even at that, it's not completely reciprocated as Stefan is only allowing so much emotion enter into him. On re-watch, I wondered if Stefan's urgency to get to Klaus' mansion didn't have more to do with his desire for revenge? I know wanting to save Damon was certainly part of the impetus, but lesser in his mind/heart than revenge.

Nah, I thought it was about Damon. Look at him when he walks in, his face, his eyes, how he's trying to not react when he first walks in and sees Damon. He was trying so hard to not rage against Klaus, and when he finally did it was just because he couldn't hold it in any longer. Yes, he was pissed that they weren't able to take Klaus down, but he was more upset at how Damon was all caught up in this, and he was blaming himself for it.

That was an awesome game-changer - killing an Original takes out their entire bloodline. I wonder if that only applies to straight vampires, though? At Mikael's wake, Klaus said that if he died, his hybrids would kill Damon. Perhaps because there is werewolf blood present, his hybrids (i.e. Tyler) wouldn't be killed outright, but returned to being a werewolf instead? Just a thought.

Hmm, interesting, but I don't think Klaus would know what it can do, therefore was not aware that his death would lead to his hybrids death too. (Although, it did take an hour before Sage and Troy died, so it wasn't right away with them either. The hybrids still would have taken Damon out.)

Damon really has succeeded in pushing Elena away, and I love that you caught that conciliatory gesture after touching her.

I didn't catch it until watching it a third time. BUt her pulling away from him, not wanting him to have anything to do with her and him realizing it really shows just how far that divide is between them. And it's not been big things (aside from the 'your love is a problem' comment/sleeping with Rebekah), it's been the series of small moments both between them, and them not being there for each other that have been building.

Also, your realization that Elena really does not know what she feels for him makes sense. It makes me sad to think of the possibility that that might not get explored.

Well, I have no doubt that it will get explored. :D

I think to a large extent I've been seeing things in Elena that I want to see, because I'm so besotted with Damon and want Elena to be the one that really gets to know all of him (which would then lead to her falling head over heels, of course). I believe she knows him better than anyone else, but also she doesn't know that things that Damon keeps so well hidden. I want her to see more of that side of him that only she sees, and let it seep into her consciousness.

I found myself loving the last two episodes because I had no expectations whatsoever about my ship (even though it also meant not being particularly excited to watch them too...).

But I fell for that still of Damon and Elena this week.

Yeah I fell for that obvious trap and for the first time in a long time I was excited about this episode.

Bummer.

Oh I really saw the whole dream sequence coming, especially with Damon being tortured in this episode. But my biggest disappointment comes from the fact this scene didn't fill any purpose whatsoever. I was expecting something like Giles being tortured by Angelus in BtVS and giving up useful information because he dreamt of Jenny. I thought Damon picturing Elena amidst his torture would be useful to the plot.

And it wasn't. We KNOW Damon's in love with Elena, you'd have to blind and deaf for you not to be aware of it, because hello, everyone and their mother have outright said it on this show several times. That includes my personal eyeroll-inducing moment not-so-long-ago when Stefan made Damon say it out loud in 'All my children' and that was after 'Dangerous Liaisons'. There was absolutely NO point in this scene besides throwing the Delena shippers a bone.

The other thing I was disappointed in was the fact there was absolutely NO aftermath after Damon's torture. I even wonder why they bothered with this plot because it served absolutely no purpose apart from the ending with Stefan and the stakes. I couldn't help feeling horrible for Damon. No one seemed to give a damn about him, seriously. I liked Elena's concern at the beginning and then it disappeared. Stefan barely batted an eye.

Heck, Bonnie seemed to be the only one caring about it.

Even though I liked how you tried to rationalize it, bottom line is, the writers didn't show Damon being all fine and dandy coming home. So for all we know he looked awful and no one seemed to give a damn.

What a wasted opportunity to show Elena caring just the tiniest bit for Damon. I would've traded this useless albeit beautiful hallucination scene for a glimpse of Elena tending to him at the end of the episode.

But no, instead she goes to Stefan and yet again worries about him. *yawns* I'm really getting fed up with this triangle, it's dragging everything down. And Elena hasn't shown anything for Damon in such a long time that I don't even see her having any feelings anymore. AND I'M A SHIPPER.

It's not that I don't believe she feels something for Damon, I know she does. It's the fact I think the show has forgotten the golden rule about writing : SHOW, DON'T TELL. Stop having Elena talk and talk about how maybe just maybe she feels something for Damon, show it. Show her being more worried about Damon than she was. Show her being more conflicted about Damon than she looks. Show some longing looks. Just show something. There hasn't been anything from her in nearly 7 episodes, it's way too long in TV time...

But my biggest disappointment comes from the fact this scene didn't fill any purpose whatsoever. [...]And it wasn't. We KNOW Damon's in love with Elena, you'd have to blind and deaf for you not to be aware of it, because hello, everyone and their mother have outright said it on this show several times.

I don't know, as I said above, Damon REALLY pulled away from her and what we see shippers see is different from what the non-shippers do. Yeah, Damon said that in AMC, and in the same scene basically washed his hands of her, and then everything after that scene was Damon screwing other girls, flirting and playing with other girls, being snarky and somewhat mean to Elena as if he didn't care about her feelings, her situation, her loss. He's acted like he is moving on, like he's done with her. Period. We know that's not the case. However, if they are going into some heavy Damon/Elena stuff -- and I do believe they are -- then the non-shippers, and those who likely believe that Damon is moving on were let in that, nope, he still loves her just as intensely. And ...

There was absolutely NO point in this scene besides throwing the Delena shippers a bone.

That was probably the case too. And it was kinda needed. There's been NOTHING lovey-dovey for shippers really (if you don't count the look when Elena arrived at the ball and the 30 seconds or so of light flirting before/during their dance in "Dangerous Liaisons") since "Our Town." In episode 11. This was episode 18. Again, if they are heading into heavy Damon/Elena stuff, this to me was them setting it in motion with the hallucination scene (yes, Damon still loves her!) and the Stefan/Elena scene (yes, Elena loves him!).

The other thing I was disappointed in was the fact there was absolutely NO aftermath after Damon's torture. I even wonder why they bothered with this plot because it served absolutely no purpose apart from the ending with Stefan and the stakes.

I was wondering what the point of the kidnapping was myself, and actually realized there was. (A) Damon now knows way more about Rebekah than he did before, and this COULD come into play later. (B) Rebekah has now seen firsthand just how little Klaus cares about his family, as opposed to the Salvatores. We now know that Rebekah has feelings for BOTH Salvatore brothers. She desperately craves love and family loyalty. Her loyalty to Klaus already took a HUGE hit earlier in the year and she was ready to betray him once. Again, this could ALL come into play later. (C) Had there not been a necessary reason to give up the stakes, the Originals are pretty much for real!dead vampires walking. (D) If Damon had not been kidnapped, once Finn was taken out and they found out that the link was unbroken, all of them would have taken off after the other Originals to kill them with no time for Sage to get there and let them know that killing an original mommy/daddy kills the whole line. (E) As I listed above contingency-wise, had Damon been around, he would have figured out a way around many of their issues because he's the only one who can put a competent plan together. The only reason any plan of his has failed is because he's surrounded by a Scooby gang full of tender-hearted, dumb-ass idiots who screw up. (And I say this with love for the tender-hearted, dumbasses. :)

I couldn't help feeling horrible for Damon. No one seemed to give a damn about him, seriously.

But that's us as fangirls. In character- and consistency-wise, and narratively speaking, how everybody acted was on target. Damon ALWAYS gets out of scrapes and no one knew how bad it was. Except for Bonnie, who was completely falling apart.

-I may have felt sorry for Sage and Finn if we had been shown the tiniest things about them. We never knew anything about Finn apart from the fact he had a death wish. We never knew anything about Sage apart from the fact she was (inexplicably?) in love with Finn and likes kinky stuff.

So no, I really didn't care about either of them dying.

- I'm usually very oblivious to product placement, it's not until I discovered the fandom online that I heard about the running joke of Jeremy and Bing research. But honestly this Klaus product placement scene was so OBVIOUS it totally took me out of the drama going on.

- I agree that Ric doesn't do anything for me any longer. He's acting crappily with Damon and even that scene with Caroline felt off to me. He didn't look remorseful enough to me, IDK.

- I can't even begin to say how much Stefan pissed me off this episode. His whole attitude with Elena when she tried to convince him to save Damon, then his obsession with revenge at the expense of Damon yet again and him barely batting an eyelash at Damon bleeding to death on the floor. And finally....the self-pity party at the end with Elena and saying that her having feelings for Damon is HIS fault. Say what?? Isn't it possible that Elena might develop feelings for Damon because of.... Damon and the unique relationship they have? relationship they already had when Stefan was still there?? Ugh.

I just hope it's Stefan talking and not the writers giving us a message because that's such bullshit I can't even.

I didn't even like the fact Stefan forced Elena to confront her feelings because at this point I'm TIRED of listening to everyone talking about her feelings for Damon, i want her to show them not talk about them, okay? Ugh. (repeating myself, I know :P)

- I want Damon to leave town, please?? Everyone's non reaction about him being captured and tortured is too much to take for me. No wonder the guy thinks he's unlovable. So, yeah, right now I want him to leave everyone behind and I don't know, settle down somewhere with Elijah or heck, even Katherine, IDK.

-I did like some stuff in this episode though, lol.

- Bonnie, my baby. I wanted to hug her. I really really liked her in this episode. Heck, I want her to leave town for awhile too, poor girl. Can't she go and live with Jeremy??

-Jeremy!! :D

-Rebekah is wonderfully evil, I agree.

-That whole vampire bloodline twist was genius, easily the best part of the episode.

- The planning scene in the woods at the beginning was hilarious, I loved it.

- Stefan's face when he exited the Grill to trap Finn and Sage, hehe.

-Matt!!! Loved his reaction in the woods when he said he didn't have much of a choice and when he killed Finn. Badass!Matt FTW.

-Alaric and his alter psycho ego, hehe. Best way to hide things ever, lol.

-I really liked Elena in this episode.

-Even if it was a hallucination (and totally useless to the plot, ahem), that Damon and Elena scene was beautiful. And hot; The way he looked at her as he fed on her wrist, *fans self*

So in two weeks, we have a Delena roadtrip and maybe, just maybe, feelings exposed? And shirtless (without bleeding) Damon?? Mmh. Maybe just maybe we'll get a Damon/Elena scene that won't involve them snarking at each other? Yay! I shouldn't get my hopes up, right?? ;)

-I may have felt sorry for Sage and Finn if we had been shown the tiniest things about them. We never knew anything about Finn apart from the fact he had a death wish. We never knew anything about Sage apart from the fact she was (inexplicably?) in love with Finn and likes kinky stuff.

I liked the idea of the story, and I liked Sage, and the little bit I'd seen of Finn, but no, I agree, this wasn't build up enough. I felt bad because of the story, but I wasn't really bummed by it. That could have been introduced better. It would have helped if they'd introduced the Sage/Finn love story in DL maybe, at least from his perspective.

I'm usually very oblivious to product placement, it's not until I discovered the fandom online that I heard about the running joke of Jeremy and Bing research. But honestly this Klaus product placement scene was so OBVIOUS it totally took me out of the drama going on.

I actually thought the PP was handled well surprisingly. Of course, the only time it bothered me (and it REALLY bothered me) was in 2.18 (The Last Dance). So badly done, and so broke the flow of the emotional happy point of the show. Grrr. But yeah, this one didn't bother me.

I agree that Ric doesn't do anything for me any longer. He's acting crappily with Damon and even that scene with Caroline felt off to me. He didn't look remorseful enough to me, IDK.

I think the ring is still effecting him, I really do. And THAT'S why we're still getting stuff that is off with him.

I can't even begin to say how much Stefan pissed me off this episode. His whole attitude with Elena when she tried to convince him to save Damon, then his obsession with revenge at the expense of Damon yet again

See, I didn't see that at Damon's expense at all. He did what Damon would have wanted him to do, keep the upper hand, and once Stefan realized that it wasn't going to work, that Damon had been vervained-free, he gave up the stakes and promised to help get the others. He was taking a page out of Damon's book by doing that. He did it badly, but he still did it. Damon wants to take Klaus down as much as Stefan. Damon's just better at the planning than Stefan is. Would I have preferred Stefan rushing off to save Damon when Elena brought it up to him, yes, but he was trying to think like Damon -- and it made sense to go through with the plan. If one Original is dead, they all are, and then Damon is saved. Kill two birds with one stone.

and him barely batting an eyelash at Damon bleeding to death on the floor.

I already talked about that above, but go back and watch it again. His jaw clenched, he almost lets out a cry or something of despair at the sight of Damon, but holds it in and catches himself, his eyes are swimming with the pain of seeing Damon like this before he tamps it down. I do think Paul played it a tad too subtly because I didn't catch it the first time either, but it's definitely there. He was definitely affected.

And finally....the self-pity party at the end with Elena and saying that her having feelings for Damon is HIS fault.

But that's Stefan. In his ENTIRE LIFESPAN, everything and everyone always revolves around him. He is the chosen one, the golden boy, the prodigal son. It's really all he knows. And besides? Isn't it easier to blame it on himself and his actions than to believe that Elena fell in love with Damon just because she fell in love with Damon while she was supposedly still in love with him? That kinda negates the great, epic twuvuvness of their great, epic twu wuv, and right now, right or wrong, Elena is one of the things that he's holding onto to keep himself from falling over the edge. To lose even that might be too much for him. Look at it from his point of view, he risked, threw away EVERYTHING to save his brother ... and because of the consequences of those actions, the girl that he loves is now in love with his brother. It's a very bitter pill to swallow.

I just hope it's Stefan talking and not the writers giving us a message because that's such bullshit I can't even.

That's TOTALLY Stefan talking. Julie Plec even said that Elena's been falling for Damon all along in slow degrees.